These BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are a staple in any cookie jar. Soft and chewy in the middle with a crisp edge, these cookies are the perfect treat!
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
My grandma (& my mom) are not bakers. Coming home from school to cookies is not a memory I have, but I feel like Oatmeal Raisin Cookies were a staple in many houses.
I wanted to make a cookie that was perfectly crisp on the edges while chewy and soft in the middle and it took a few test batches, but I feel like I nailed it.
This has quickly become one of my favorite cookies!
I get a lot of naysayers about raisins. If you don’t like them, try my brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!
Why these are the best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Great recipe – This easy recipe is very similar to the recipe you find on the lid of the Quaker oatmeal container but I’ve made a few tweaks that made it even better. It will be the only oatmeal raisin cookie recipe you’ll need!
- Classic cookies – Along with chocolate chip, everyone should have a classic oatmeal cookie recipe in their back pocket.
- Customizable – I’ve had people tell me they make them with walnuts, craisins, chocolate chips, and other mix-ins. You can switch it up.
READER REVIEW
“According to my uncle and husband these cookies are “the best oatmeal raisin cookies”. Thank you for sharing your recipe.” -Erica
Helpful Tools
- Baking Sheets – I like to use lipped cookie sheet so dough balls don’t roll off. Speaking from experience.
- Silicone Baking Mats – I use these or parchment paper to get a nice, even bake.
- Hand Mixer – As much as I love my stand mixer, I use my hand mixer even more.
- Medium Cookie Scoop – Size #40 holds about 1.5 TB of dough.
- Cookie Spatula – To easily move the warm cookies off the pan.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Butter – Most bakers prefer unsalted butter but I personally like to use salted. I like the contrast it gives to the sweet cookie.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar is what I’ve tested with.
- Brown Sugar – I use light brown sugar but dark brown sugar can be used as well.
- Eggs – Two large eggs. Start with them at room temperature, if possible.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for the best flavor.
- Rolled Oats – Old-fashioned oats give much better texture than instant oats, which are ground. If you only have quick oats, they will work, but you’ll get a different texture.
- Flour – All purpose flour. I haven’t tested with alternatives.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda helps create a chewy cookie.
- Salt – To bring out the other flavors and for balance.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds a warm flavor to the cookies.
- Raisins – I usually have the traditional Sun-Maid raisins on hand for snacks so that’s what I use. Golden raisins would be a good option.
How to make the very best oatmeal raisin cookies
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper & set aside.
- STEP TWO: First, in a medium bowl, cream together the wet ingredients (butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract) with an electric mixer on medium.
- STEP THREE: Then, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and add the dry ingredients (oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and raisins). Stir with a spoon to fully combine.
- STEP FOUR: Next, use a medium cookie scoop to portion out 8 balls of oatmeal raisin cookie dough per pan. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Check at 8 minutes to make sure edges are slightly brown and centers are set. Bake 1-3 extra minutes if necessary.
- STEP FIVE: Finally, remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
What to serve with them
Serve these cookies after a dinner of Chicken & Asparagus and Loaded Cauliflower Casserole.
You might also want a glass of milk!
- Use old fashioned oats in these cookies. Quick oats will work as well, but you’ll end up with a different texture.
- If you want your raisins to be extra soft, soak them in a bowl of boiling water while you’re preparing the rest of the dough.
- Start with room temperature butter and eggs for best results.
- If raisins aren’t your thing, you could use chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or other dried fruit.
- Check these cookies at 8 minutes. You want the edges to be slightly brown and the centers a touch gooey. You’ll leave them on a pan for a few minutes when you remove them from the oven to finish up baking.
How to store them
Baked cookies will keep up to a week when stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
How long will oatmeal raisin cookie dough last in the fridge?
Dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, when covered with plastic wrap, if you’d like to make it ahead of time.
Can I freeze this cookie dough?
Absolutely, I recommend it. I always have some type of cookie dough in my freezer stash.
To freeze, scoop out dough balls, leave them on a baking sheet covered in the freezer until they’re frozen through, then move them to a freezer bag.
They’ll be good for up to a year in the freezer (though I find using them within 3 months gives you the best results).
You can bake cookies straight from frozen, just add a couple minutes of baking time.
Should you soak raisins before baking cookies? 🍇
If you prefer plumper raisins, soak them in a bowl of hot water while you’re preparing the rest of the dough.
For added flavor, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mix.
Before using adding the raisins to the dough, drain the water & pat them dry.
FAQs
Can you use quick oats in oatmeal cookies?
You can use quick oats in these cookies, but I prefer old fashioned oats, which will give you that classic chewy texture.
Quick oats are ground up so the cookies end up one-note, with less texture. The flavor will be very similar so it really comes down to personal preference.
Why no shortening?
Some oatmeal raisin cookie recipes call for using shortening, but I used all butter in this recipe because that’s what I prefer. Either fat will work, but I feel like butter adds more flavor and richness.
Using butter in these cookies does mean they will spread, it is to be expected, but to combat that, I roll the cookie dough taller rather than round. It helps them to spread evenly.
If you prefer baking with shortening, you can swap it out in this recipe, your cookies will likely bake up taller, but they might lack a touch of flavor that the butter provides.
Need more oatmeal recipes? Try these:
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Ranger Cookies
- Apple Oatmeal Bars
- Oatmeal Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Copycat Oatmeal Cream Pies
Click here for my entire collection of cookie recipes.
The BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) butter softened
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup (133 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (267 g) old fashioned oats
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup (119 g) raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.3/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup granulated white sugar, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add in the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and raisins and stir until just combined and raisins are evenly distributed.3 cups old fashioned oats, 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup raisins
- Use a medium cookie scoop (approximately 1.5 TB) to place 8 dough balls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, check to make sure edges are slightly brown and centers are set. If not, bake an additional 1-3 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Dough will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- To freeze, scoop out dough balls, leave them on a baking sheet covered in the freezer until they’re frozen through, then move them to a freezer bag. They’ll be good for up to a year in the freezer.
- You can bake them straight from frozen, just add a couple minutes of baking time. I always have some type of cookie dough in my freezer stash.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
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Excellent recipe, easy to make and delicious. I added chopped pecans along with the raisins. Thanks.
Thanks for reporting back!
These were delicious
Yay 🙂
Tasty cookies! I followed your recipe exactly. I used unsalted butter and used metric measurements. The cookies baked for 11 minutes. I got 41 cookies. Will make again!
Thanks, Abbie!
Just made these with cranberries. OMG, excellent recipe. These cookies are so good.
Love that idea, thanks, Karen!
I didn’t get to make these yet, but when I saw the picture of the cookies, they instantly looked like my grandma’s. I loved her oatmeal cookies. I will .make the, as I want to see if they are like hers.
Let me know how they compare once you try them 🙂
These cookies are so soft and delicious! I had several comm was on these! They are a moist and not a dry cookie! Best recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies!
Thanks, Shannon!
Tried twice now. Seem too dry to even start to flatten out. Ok for chewy cookie lovers.
They shouldn’t be dry, but I do describe them as ‘soft & chewy’ multiple times, so that part shouldn’t have been a surprise 🙂
According to my uncle and husband these cookies are “the best oatmeal raisin cookies “ . Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Love hearing that! 🙂
Even at my late age I was never very good on doing cookies they always seem to come out hard as a rock maybe that why I dislike baking. I wanted to surprise my granddaughter with some homemade cookies I’ll tell you your recipe was so easy peezy to follow. I I did cut down on the sugar and substituted brown sugar and they came out just awesome!.
I’m so glad it was easy peezy =)
I like the taste of these but they baked up too thin and sticky. Tried chilling the dough which helped, but wasn’t that happy with them.
They shouldn’t have been thin or sticky. Did you make any changes?
These were so easy to make and very delicious!
Thanks, Jessie!
Great cookies!
I didn’t change a thing.
🎉🎉🎉
Hi this is more of a question than a rate; I don’t have a hand mixer or electric one! So can I just let my butter soften on the counter and just mix with a spoon or even by hand being careful not to over mix?
That should be ok, just really use some elbow grease to cream the butter & sugar together. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Followed recipe exact but did not work for me….my cookies spread and were undercooked at 8 minutes. Not sure what went wrong.
Thanks
Every oven temp is going to be a bit off (it’s a good idea to use a thermometer to test), but that’s why it says check at 8 minutes & give them another 1-3 minutes, if needed. As far as the spreading, did you use parchment or a silicone mat?
After 65 years I found a winner!! Absolutely the very best Oatmeal Raisin cookie.
Yay 🙂
I loved all your recipes & l made some cookies me & my family loved 🥰 Thanks for your delicious recipes 😊
I’m so glad, you’re welcome!
These really are THE BEST! Thank you for sharing!
Yay, you’re welcome 🙂
These cookies are great. I’m the designated family baker and these are always requested. I often add craisins, choc chips or butterscotch chips, and they are always a hit. To my fellow reviewers: please stop with the ridiculous questions about substitutions of ingredients or techniques. If the author wanted to make the cookies that way, she would have. Make your own batch and post the recipe yourself!
ha, gold star for you, Chris! And a virtual hug ♥
Excellent texture and taste!
Thanks, Terri!
Excellent flavour and easy and quick to make. Thank you. Hope you do well
Cheers
Thank you, Debbie!